NAFDAC eases processes, cost of registering products for MSMEs

…establishes business support desk

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has said that it has eased the processes and cost of registration of products for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The Acting Director-General of NAFDAC, Mr. Ademola Mogbojuri, said this on Wednesday, in Enugu, during a South-East Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum meant to promote the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business’ directive.

Mogbojuri said that the meeting was to dialogue and find ways to resolve complaints and bottlenecks producers and starts-up face in establishing their businesses.
He said that the agency was highly concerned about the growth of small businesses and helping young entrepreneurs to start their businesses and create more job and money for Nigerians.

We have recently directed 50 per cent reduction of registration of products for companies with five or less than five employees; while reducing registration time to 90 days for all MSMEs.NAFDAC has established Small Business Support Desk (SBSD) to guide small businesses through registration processes and also serve as enquiry point for small businesses on regulatory issues.

“Also, we now have electronic submission of documents to line Directorates in Lagos as well as NAFDAC Product Registration Outreach (NaPRO) to provide interactive engagement and advice on documentation, labeling and other requirements so as to facilitate the registration process.”

Increase in the number of times samples are submitted to the laboratory per month; while cosmetic companies can use three rooms as against four in the past and can also share facilities for common products.Fees charged for registration of locally manufactured products are lower than those charged for imported products.

“The Agency is always discouraging the use of consultants by companies,’’ Mogbojuri, who was represented by Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, Director of Special Duties, said.
Earlier, the Enugu State Co-ordinator of the agency, Mr. Chike Obiano, said that consultative forum would be sustained and even be made more frequent against the backdrop of its importance in our regulatory oversight functions.

He said,“NAFDAC is committed to zero tolerance on fake drugs, unwholesome processed food and sub-standard regulated products.”

Moses Oyediran, Enugu